How Henry To'o To'o earned starting position as freshman for Tennessee Vols football

Henry To’o To’o and his fellow Tennessee football freshmen got to know each other through a group chat, then made a promise to each other when they got to UT.

“We will be able to do the little things for this team,” To’o To’o said of that promise Tuesday. “We weren’t really worried about the 2019 recruiting class. We are worried about how Tennessee football can be the best it can be.”

To’o To’o has done more than little things so far at Tennessee. The freshman has started the first two games at inside linebacker for the Vols (0-2) and likely will against Chattanooga (1-1) at Neyland Stadium on Saturday (noon ET, SEC Network).

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Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano (2) walks off the field after falling to BYU 29-26 in overtime at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee defensive back Theo Jackson (26) shows that the pass was no good after Jackson broke up a pass intended for a BYU receiver at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt calls from the sideline during a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee defensive lineman Greg Emerson (90) walks off the field after falling to BYU 29-26 in overtime during a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee defensive lineman Ja'Quain Blakely (48) reacts after making a play during a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano (2) looks to pass during a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee linebacker Henry To'o To'o (11) reacts after making a play during a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee running back Ty Chandler (8) runs the ball as BYU linebacker Matthew Criddle (17) defends during a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee punter Joe Doyle (47) reacts after Tennessee placekicker Brent Cimaglia (42) made a 51-yard field goal during a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee punter Joe Doyle (47) reacts after Tennessee placekicker Brent Cimaglia (42) made a 51-yard field goal during a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

BYU defensive back Sawyer Powell (28), BYU defensive back Dayan Ghanwoloku (5) and Tennessee tight end Dominick Wood-Anderson (4) chase the ball during a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

BYU wide receiver Micah Simon (13) is tackled by Tennessee defensive back Shawn Shamburger (12) and Tennessee defensive back Warren Burrell (4) during a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee offensive lineman Dayne Davis (66) takes the field ahead of a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee defensive back Tyus Fields (17) takes the field ahead of a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee offensive lineman Trey Smith (73) takes the field ahead of a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee tight end Dominick Wood-Anderson (4) takes the field ahead of a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee linebacker Henry To'o To'o (11) and BYU linebacker Chaz Ah You (3) shake hands at the end of the game during a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano (2) walks off the field after falling to BYU 29-26 in overtime at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano (2) walks off the field after falling to BYU 29-26 in overtime at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

The Concord (California) De La Salle product repeatedly said Tuesday he chose Tennessee to learn and be part of something special. He was sold on the vision of Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt in recruiting: that To’o To’o could help “change something.”

“I trusted coach Pruitt and I still do,” To’o To’o said. “I love what he has going on and the things that he tells us are going to happen. I trust him.”

To’o To’o came to Tennessee as the No. 44 prospect in the country and the No. 3 outside linebacker, according to the 247Sports Composite. He arrived in June and said the summer workouts “hit me that it was time to go” with a different, more serious vibe.

“Everything is faster,” To’o To’o said. “Everybody is bigger and stronger. … Being able to know the playbook and know what to do is the biggest change for me.”

To’o To’o impressed quickly with his ability to learn the defense. He credited senior linebacker Daniel Bituli, who is sidelined after a knee procedure, with helping him jump into the defense rapidly.

“You just have to know everything,” To’o To’o said. “Everything connects. There are pieces to the puzzle that you may not know, but you need to know. That makes this whole defense work as one.”

Football has been the biggest adjustment for To’o To’o so far, but hardly the only one. He’s plenty used to telling people how his last name is pronounced — it is TOE-oh, TOE-oh.

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To’o To’o has made 15 tackles to tie for the team lead through two games. He has started both games as a freshman.
Mike Wilson, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

He also cited learning about the college environment and the pace of Tennessee compared to California have been adjustments.

“California is a lot faster,” he said. “In California, everything moves fast. In Knoxville, it’s a slower pace. … It gives me time to able to focus on myself and the things that are important to me.”

The 6-foot-2, 232-pound To’o To’o has made 15 tackles to tie for the team lead. He made eight Saturday in UT’s double-overtime loss to BYU and felt more comfortable than he did in a Week 1 loss to Georgia State.

He has contributed as he hoped to in his recruitment and feels positively about his play so far. But he spoke about finding ways to improve as a player and as a team — the latter being a key part of his decision to travel across the country to play college football.

“Being able to change something and being able to improve something and being able to move forward as a team, that’s the biggest point that everyone thinks of,” he said.